To be heard

To be heard

Colossians 3:12 Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience,

I have often blamed my 2 older sisters for my hearing problem. I have had this hearing problem since an early age and at times it is a blessing while others it is a curse. The technical term for this disorder is selective hearing. My sisters decided when I was young that I was their project which needed to be molded into shape through constant verbal instruction. I found very early during this project that I had a selective hearing switch in my brain that could be activated instantly. The switch would toggle back and forth based upon whether the incoming information was beneficial or corrective in nature. Selective hearing can be helpful when it comes to tuning out bad theology. It can, however, be harmful when it comes to hearing other people’s pain.

One of our core needs is to be heard. Not just heard with proper functioning ears but heard with compassionate hearts. The problem is most people’s pain makes us uncomfortable. During the time that they are sharing their pain we are thinking of ways we can respond and fix their pain. It is even more difficult to hear others pain when it reminds us of our own unresolved pain. I heard a sermon many years ago entitled “I sit beside pain.” During the sermon he described how hurting people would come to him and there was nothing he could do to take away their pain. He could, however, sit beside and listen to their pain with a compassionate heart. Sometimes when people share their pain they don’t need a sermon, scriptures or even words. They just need to be heard by another caring and loving human. Here is the problem with selective compassionate hearing. If you have unresolved and unhealed pain in your life then you can’t sit beside someone else’s pain. Do certain types of pain trigger your selective hearing? If so then maybe it’s time for God’s Spirit to guide you through His healing process. Unresolved pain in your life will cause you to react to others pain and not respond with a compassionate heart.

The book Driving through Painville offers messages of hope and answers to addressing the unresolved pain in your life. You can download your free ebook copy or order a printed copy today.   

Jonathan Jones, President and Founder of Perfect Hope Ministry

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